Reminiscent Parallels
by CrapPishh
Summary: She said that out loud, even though she knew that no one would answer. Yay for my emo writing streak.


Yeah, yeah, I know, EOYs coming and all… but I just have no mood to study. / Well, seeing that I don't need to stress myself about subject combinations, yeah, I'm pretty relaxed. (:

This fic is one of the 3 that I wrote over the weekend in my emo streak (Mhmm, some people know why I was emo), and I don't think I'll be uploading the other 2, because they make me even more emo when I read them again.

This one's inspired from what happened to me on Saturday night, when we went out with my mom's friends and their kids, and my Godpa had to teach me how to play pool 'cause the others all know and I was sitting there stoning.

Man, I suck at billards. D:

Anyway, read, review, and enjoy! –gives free cookies-

* * *

"Now, hold it like this… Yes… Steady now… Aim, and pull the string… There you go!" a voice rang out as a snail let out a cry, breathing its last while it disintegrated, the arrow that caused its death disappearing along with it. A man knelt on the Henesys hunting ground floor, arms around his child as he guided her along, teaching her, helping her fire her first arrow.

The ranger stood there, fingering her Red Hinkel mindlessly as she watched on, eyes fixed softly on the pair. Memories flowed seamlessly into her mind; they weren't being pushed to a corner and blocked out like they had been before.

--

"Ah yes, good... you're holding it properly... Now look there, it's a shroom... You ready to try? Alright, aim, pull the string back and there, see?"

A mushroom spore landed lightly on the ground as the shroom was knocked back, collapsing on the ground after having been killed by a single arrow, piercing its tiny orange cap.

"Daddy, look! I killed my first monster!" the girl who shot the arrow exclaimed with glee, turning around to face her father, who had been the one guiding her movements, leading up to the climax: that shot. He smiled patiently in return, ruffling her hair as he stood up, relieving her of the bow.

--

Unknowingly, the ranger began to stroll along the path, leading towards the Henesys town centre, still absorbed deeply in her thoughts. The arrows bounced in steady rhythm in her quiver as she ambled on, straying off the green dirt path and onto cool, orange cobblestones. Kids ran past her, voices ringing loud, yet she noticed nothing; she was too immersed in whatever was going through her mind.

"Dad! I've done it! My job advancement!"

A single shout cut through the clouds in her brain, derailing her train of thought, leaving her momentarily dazed. She blinked, stopping in her tracks. A boy, no older than how she had been at that phrase in time, had just left Athena's office, eyes shimmering with pride. In his hand was a Ryden, gripped tightly, as he ran to his father, radiating with excitement.

_A new bow, _the ranger noted, noticing the absence of dirty fingerprints and blunt scratches along the yellow and green curve, as well as the special shine that a newly-crafted bow possessed_. And a new hunter._

_--_

"I finally did it!" the girl announced, hopping down the steps of Athena's office, brimming with delight, and into the arms of her father, in a hug of gratitude. He was always waiting, patiently, guiding her along in her chosen path, watching over her as she embarked on her journey, learning the ways through experience.

He smiled affectionately, replying warmly, "Now, how about I buy you a new Ryden? You deserve one."

Chuckling at the eager expression on his daughter's face, the duo walked side by side in direction of the marketplace, the flags adorning the bowmistress's office fluttering gracefully in the wind.

--

Making a left turn past the Henesys leader's house, the ranger then continued walking, a breeze brushing her hair, sending strands of auburn flying underneath her Dark Patriot. Her eyes focused on the clouds, head tilted upwards, gazing at the white masses billowing in the sky, and yet, her mind was elsewhere, far away, buried deep in a mountain of emotions.

Her mind knew not where she was going; her legs seemed to have minds of their own, leading her through the bright, sunlit town.

With her Dark Elf Shoes shuffling softly on the pavement, the ranger found herself in the midst of the Henesys village, witnessing two separate, unrelated events taking place. For her, both held special significance, the sight of which released yet another flood of memories from their chains.

To her left, a family was crying, tears trickling down like streams of water. Parent and child were silent, nothing being said as the child strapped his Olympus bow onto his back, wiping tears as he readied himself to leave. He smiled sadly, embracing his father for the last time, eyes speaking everything that the mouth would not. The father looked on, understandingly, as his child set off, ready to begin his own adventure.

--

The two of them walked in silence, until the outskirts of the village, at the border of the Henesys hills. Both knew time would not stop for anyone, and sooner or later she would leave, to chart her own story, to write the next chapter of her life herself. He had done what he could have: giving his guidance when needed, and now, he comprehended that he had to let her go, like a bird leaving the nest.

It had been her dream, he knew, to complete the third advancement, and he encouraged her to go for it. Wetness stained his cheeks while he hugged his daughter for the last time; she had come so far since firing her first arrow. A lot was put into that hug, seeing as which neither really knew what to say. With a shaky nod and faint smile, she turned around, bow swinging rhythmically as she left.

While she was exploring the lush greenery of Ellinia, on her way to the magician town where she would board the ship to Ossyria, it occurred to her: that was the first time she'd ever seen her father cry.

--

Down the street to the right, as she plodded along, a different family was crying, but this time, they were shedding tears of joy. Years ago, they had wept at separation, and now, the reunion was nothing less than sweet. Each side took in the sight of the other, rivers flowing downstream as they grinned. Words were not exchanged; nothing else could describe the countless years that had passed. Going inside their house, one the child had not been into for a long time, they would finally relate to each other the past chapter of their lives.

The ranger stared blankly downwards, recalling her own return to Victoria Island with the title of Ranger freshly bestowed upon her. Standing on the bow of the Ellinia-bound ship and listening to the engines' roar, hard at work powering the majestic ship, she felt a sense of nostalgia; her father had ridden the ship long before her, her mother too, and now herself. It was her second time, yet, there was this first-time excitement bubbling within her. Although more than eager to test out her new skills, she decided to pay a visit to Henesys, her hometown, to see her father again.

Heaving a sigh and turning away, she resumed her stroll, her legs leading of their own accord again. The thoughts eventually emptied from her mind, but she was simply as listless as before, though she finally gained some awareness of where she was headed.

Attempting to distract herself, she inspected her red bow, turning it around and around in her hands, fingers running up and down the bowstring. It was as if her upper and lower halves were disjointed, two different beings connected by mere flesh and bone, no nerves joining the two parts. Her pace slowed, gradually coming to a complete halt outside a house,_ her_ house.

She sighed again, reluctantly venturing forward. Memories had ceased swirling around inside her, and total awareness enveloped the ranger. Reaching out cautiously, as if afraid of something, her fingers first made contact with the rusty metal doorknob, then, her palm, turning it. Rusty hinges creaked as the door was pushed open, welcoming her.

She sniffed and felt her eyes water, not just because the house was extremely dusty. Willing herself not to cry, she placed her Hinkel atop the hallway cupboard.

Treading down the carpet, she could sense that it had been quite awhile since anyone set foot onto it. Her hand absent-mindedly brushed against the wall, trailing through the peeling paint. Dragging herself towards the flight of stairs, she blinked hard; she wasn't going to break down.

"_Dad, I'm home."_

She said that out loud, even though she knew that no one would answer.


End file.
